KENNEDYVILLE, Md. (WJZ)– A disturbing discovery on an Eastern Shore farm. The bodies of a father and his two teenage sons were found in an animal waste pond. It appears to be a tragic accident that has rocked the Kennedyville community in Kent County.

Mike Hellgren reports.

Hope turned to heartbreak as rescue workers and neighboring farmers tried to rescue the father and his two sons. In the end, they could not.

From above, you can see the large, dark pit filled with animal waste. The painstaking search to find the bodies inside took hours.

Glen Nolt, 48, and his two sons– 18-year-old son Kelvin Nolt and 14-year-old Gleason Nolt– were pronounced dead at the scene.

Betty Freeman, who lives at the entrance to the farm, is heartsick.

“I just can’t imagine anything like that occurring. You know, falling and drowning in that liquid manure. It’s unthinkable,” she said.

The Mennonite father and his two sons were experienced on dairy farms. They made the trek to Kent County from their own farm in Peach Bottom, Pa. regularly. But their family became alarmed when they didn’t return home.

Calls to 911 started an intense rescue effort.

“There was every indication that the victims may be in that manure pit and so rescue operations started immediately,” Greg Shipley, a spokesman for the Maryland State Police said. “It’s about 20 feet deep, 150 feet across, 300 feet long. Farmers came from all over with their equipment, with their personnel, as well as multiple fire units that responded from both Maryland and Delaware.”

It’s unclear how the three ended up in the manure pit. One family member said one of the children may have become trapped inside and his father and brother died trying to save him.

“That’s just a terrible tragedy,” Freeman said.

The bodies will be taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

Glen Nolt was the father of five children. Police do not suspect any foul play.